On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
Portugal will park the bus.
I see 5 conceded goals there.
Do you know who cares about friendlies? Absolutely nobody.
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
Germany - Italy will be a close match, I'm hoping for a 2-1 win. Portugal - Spain is also going to be a 2-1, I'm just still not sure which side will score the two goals. Leaning a bit towards Portugal atm.
Both Italy and Portugal are massive underdogs in semis, and for a reason. Portugal has too predictable style: pass it to Ronaldo or Nani and hope they'll squeeze something out, or, if this doesn't work, constantly cross the ball into penalty area (they'll play Almeida as a striker against Spain, so I expect even more crosses), Italy is fairly weak on their right flank (Abate and Maggio so much worse than Balzaretti and Marchisio) so Alba, David Silva and Iniesta may have even easier time than against France. As for Germany - they play fantastic games one after another, but the problem is that in the final (99% chance that Germans will be there) Spain will take the ball and never give it back.
Basically, I'm betting Spain, the guys play together for 5-6 years, Alba seems to have settled already, Silva is even more dangerous, Iniesta kicks ass (best player on Earth right now, hands down). Casillas saves every time when defence fails. The final will probably be very boring though, so at least I look forward for a good game in Germany - Italy.
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
Portugal will park the bus.
No, they conceded goals in 5 out of 8 games and the only team they didn't concede a goal to was fucking Lichtenstein. Among the nine group winners, only Netherlands conceded more goals per match than Spain.
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
Yes Spain do care about losing any game of football, any professional cares about losing any game in sport. It also effects rankings, so if Spain didn't care about any friendly games and played like they did vs Portugal they will lose their number 1 ranking pretty fast. Also, England beat Spain too, did they try then?
Casillas Arbeloa Pique Sergio Ramos Jordi Alba Busquets Alonso Xavi Iniesta Villa Silva
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
Do you know who cares about friendlies? Absolutely nobody.
A 5-0 humiliation is still a 5-0 humilitation.
That's like saying Idra beat MVP on the ladder and saying he's thus the better player o_O Do you think spain tries in friendlies?
I wasn't saying Portugal is better than Spain (which it is in all possible matters), I was just saying that Portugal can actually score goals against the Spanish system.
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
Do you know who cares about friendlies? Absolutely nobody.
A 5-0 humiliation is still a 5-0 humilitation.
That's like saying Idra beat MVP on the ladder and saying he's thus the better player o_O Do you think spain tries in friendlies?
I wasn't saying Portugal is better than Spain (which it is in all possible matters), I was just saying that Portugal can actually score goals against the Spanish system.
Blasphemer, portugal(or any other team for that matter) better than spain?
On June 25 2012 23:58 Aeroplaneoverthesea wrote: Really bad call predicting Spain to concede a goal. They haven't conceded in the knock out stages since 2006. Barely conceded in qualifying, have conceded one all tournament and barely conceded in 2010 as well. This tournament across 360 minutes of football they've let their opponents have two decent chances on goal. The chance Di Natale scored and the header Rakitic missed.
Portugal are extremely unlikely to score against Spain. Spain will win 1-0 with maybe an extra late goal once Portugal have to go for it.
Do you know who cares about friendlies? Absolutely nobody.
A 5-0 humiliation is still a 5-0 humilitation.
That's like saying Idra beat MVP on the ladder and saying he's thus the better player o_O Do you think spain tries in friendlies?
I wasn't saying Portugal is better than Spain (which it is in all possible matters), I was just saying that Portugal can actually score goals against the Spanish system.
Blasphemer, portugal(or any other team for that matter) better than spain?
You know when someone is massively biased if he says any team other than germany is even close to Spain..
On June 25 2012 18:21 Pandemona wrote: The fifth penalties now. And up steps Diamanti the “west ham reject” as quoted by the English commentator, how that would come to kick us the nuts! He would step up and coolly send Hart the wrong way. 4-2 Italy
Hehe, this "kick us the nuts" reference is so fitting, considering:
He didn't say they were better, he just said they were set up to be able to score past the Spanish system. He hasn't even said they would win xD He is right anyway, the way to beat Spain (like the way you beat Barcelona) is to /defend and /counter with pace. Nani and Ronaldo have the pace, and they have an ok back 3 (if u discount Periera ) Chelsea beat Barca the same way with Ramires Drogba Mata counter attacking. Russia posed a mini threat at one stage to Spain doing the same as well. Also don't forget, this is a Semi Final, there wont be many goals in either game.